In the dark? Trust! — Inspiration from the North Dakota Badlands

Trust when it is dark

We’ve all been there. It really should be no surprise to know that even if you’re not in a dark time now, dark times are coming.
Courage is a struggle. We’ve been in a dark place in our life when we were uncertain, stumbling. Maybe we felt alone and frightened by where we were at that moment, or where we were supposed to go.

The Cartwright Tunnel

It’s times like that when even a small light is a welcome relief. Just like in the Cartwright Tunnel. Light from a cell phone or even a lighter is relief from the darkness. Of course, those who are prepared for the darkness bring flashlights. That’s kinda like life, isn’t it? Is it fair to say, “God is my flashlight?” He appeared to Moses as a burning bush; He led Israel through the desert by night as a pillar of fire. Jesus calls Himself, The Light. So, I suppose He can be likened to a flashlight in those dark times. Agreed?

Keep Moving

Long abandoned, and now it’s showing its age. It may not be open much longer. For those who enter the tunnel, they enter confidently knowing they will get through the darkness to the other side. They’ll hear birds flapping overhead — pigeons. They may stumble in the darkest belly of the tunnel. They’ll see the light from where they entered getting dimmer and the light ahead getting brighter.

The trick is to keep moving.

Courage

It takes courage. It’s not easy. It helps to be encouraged — so maybe that’s your role today, to encourage one who is in the tunnel.

Right now, I’m struggling with life’s issues. So, I need to remind myself in this dark time. Be courageous. Keep moving. I may stumble and I may be uncomfortable, but I need to keep moving. Make and keep the doctor appointments. Pay the bills that I can pay. Reach out to the person who is distant. Write a letter to the wayward child. Keep moving. The darkness will not last.